Printing-press.



Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a a I J. L. FIRM. PRINTING PRESS. APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 I I z 1 w ,w I /ll z.

m'm mai- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH L. FIRM, 0F BERWYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOSS PRINTINGPRESS; COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PRINTING-PRESS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. FIRM, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Berwyn, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing- Presses,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in printing presses and morespecifically to that class thereof known as multicolor machines.

The object of my invention is the production of a printing machine ofthe character mentioned wherein the various inking rollers bearing thedifferent inks will be so mounted that, when the machine is inoperation, the possibility of the ink being transferred from inkingrollers bearing one color of ink to another set bearing another color,or, of the mixture of the different inks, will be positively precluded.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a printing machineas men tioned which will be of improved construction and eflicient inoperation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in view my invention consists in a printing presscharacterized as above mentioned and in certain details of constructionand arrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a printing press embodying my invention,Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a cam included in the construction,and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the press in longitudinal section.

The preferred form of my invention as illustrated in the drawingscomprises a supporting frame 1 in which is centrally mounted atransversely extending form cylinder 2, the latter being of any ordinaryor preferred design. J ournaled in one end of the frame 1 preferably inthe same horizontal plane with the axis of the cylinder 2, is a shaft 3.Fixed to the shaft 3 at the respective extremities thereof are annularsup-porting members or rings 4, the members 4 at Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed January 3, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 600,424.

the respective ends of said shaft being of the same diameter, and whichdiameter is substantially the same as that of the cylinder 2. Arrangedbetween the supporting members 4, the extremities thereof beingjournaled in said members 4 adjacent the peripheries thereof, is aplurality of inking cylinders 55, 5, 5 and 5; 6, 6, 6 and 6 7, 7, 7",and 7; and 8,8, 8 and 8". Said inking cylinders are so arranged thatwhen the same are revolved and the cylinder 2 is rotated, the same willcontact the latter tangentially, the cylinder formed by the inkingcylinders being tangentially arranged relative to the cylinder. Thecylinder formed by said inking cylinders is of a diameter identical withthat of the cylinder 2, so that when said cylinders are rotated at equalperipheral speeds the rollers 5, 5, 5 and 5 will engage the same quarterof the periphery of the cylinder 2 upon each rotation, and likewise withregard to the other sets of said inking cylinders. With this arrangementthen, each set of inking cylinders will upon each revolution thereofcontact the same plates upon the form cylinder 2. In order to insure theinking cylinders being revolved at the same speed as the rotation of theform cylinder 2, a pinion 9 is provided which meshes with a gear 10secured to one end of the cylinder 2 and a gear 11 which is fixed to theshaft 3. Also with this arrangement, it will be observed, that thecylinder 2 will be rotated in the same direction as the direction ofrevolution of the inking cylinders, the contacting surfaces of saidcylinders passing each other in opposite directions. The advantage ofthis arrangement will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Alsoextending between the supporting members 4, the extremities thereofbeing journaled therein, are ink distributing cylinders 12 and 12' whichcontact respectively with cylinders 5, 5, 5 and 5"; distributingcylinders 13 and 13 which contact respectively with inking cylinders 6,6, 6 and 6'; ink distributing cylinders 14 and 14 which contactrespectively with cylinders 7 7 7 and 7; and ink distributing cylinders15 and 15 which contact respectively with cylinders 8, 8', 8 and 8. Thesaid ink distributing cylinders are preferably so mounted that when inoperation, the same in addition to rotating, will reciprocatslongitudinally as is usual, in order to effect a more thorough anduniform distribution of the ink upon the cylinders cooperatingtherewith.

Arranged about the shaft 3 is a plurality, preferably four in number inorder to correspond with the numbers of sets of inking cylinders, of inkfountains 16, 17, 13 and 19; the extremities of said ink fountains beingsecured rigidly in the supporting frame 1 so that said fountains arestationary, the inking and ink distributing cylinders revolving aboutthe same. Mounted at the mouths of said ink fountains are the usualrelatively stationary fountain rollers 20. Provided at the ends of saidink fountains are bearing brackets 21 in which are rockingly mountedrock shafts 22. Secured to the shafts 22 are rocker arms 23 between andalining with, which extend ductor roll ers 241-, 24-, 24 and 24, saidrollers being so mounted as to be adapted normally to rest in contactwith the rollers 20, the same being adapted, however, when the arms 23are rocked outwardly to contact the ink distributing cylinders revolvingabout the same. Fixed to the outer ends of the shafts 22 are rocker arms25 at the outer extremities of which are carried cam rollers 26. Saidcam rollers rest in engagement with the peripheries of cams 27 which arefixed to the shaft 3, said cams 27 being preferably formed integral witheach other, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The peripheral conformations ofsaid cams are such that the roller 24, when the shaft 3 is rotated, willengage only with the ink distributing cylinders 12 and 12; the roller 24with ink distributing cylinders 13 and 13; the roller 2st with inkdistributing cylinders 1 1 and 1 1' and the roller 24' with. inkdistributing cylinders 15 and 15, the engagement of said rollers withsaid cylinders as just men tioned, being effected once in eachrevolution. of the shaft 3. With this arrangement then, it will. be seenthat if different colors of inks are provided in the various inkfountains, the different sets of rollers will also be provided wit-hinks of different colors upon revolution thereof. For example, if thefountain 16 carries blue ink, such ink will be delivered only to theinking cylinders 5, 5, 5 and 5'; if the fountain 17 carries yellow ink,the ink of this color will be delivered only to the cylinders 6, 6, 6and 6, and so on, the plates carried by the form cylinder and with whichsaid inking cylinders cooperate, being correspondingly inked, that is,the plates cooperating with the cylinders 5, 5, 5 and 5 being cov eredwith blue ink, those cooperating with the cylinders 6, 6, 6 and 6 withyellow ink, etc. Arranged in the opposite end of the frame 1, that is atthe opposite side of the form cylinder, is the web 27, the latter magmain its passage to the form cylinder passing first between the cuttingcylinders 28, the latter being provided with cutting mechanism 28, ofany well known type. The cuts after passing between said cylinders 28are directed in the usual manner to and between guide rollers 29, 30 and31 to the impression cylinder Arranged in the periphery of the cylinder32 are gripping devices or grippers 33 of ordinary construction, orpreferably of the construction described in my Letters Patent #366,388granted July 12, 1887. Said grippers are so arranged as to be adapted toengage the end of the web delivered thereto and to retain the sameduring four rotations of the impression cylinder 32, whereupon saidgripping devices will release the cut to permit of engagement thereof bygripping devices 33 carried by the impression cylinder 34:, a formcylinder 35 of the ordinary type cooperating with the impressioncylinder 34: to apply black printing or printing of a single color tothe opposite side of the web. The impression cylinder 32 is of acircumference exactly one-fourth that of the form cylinder 2 so thatupon four rotations of the cylinder 32, the cylinder 2 will pass throughbut a single rotation. With this arrangement then, it will be observed,that the several differently colored inks will be successively appliedone over the other to the web cut carried by the impression cylinder 32upon each rotation of said form cylinder, the arrangement being suchthat the primary color will be first applied to the web and thesecondary colors in their proper order thereover.

As illustrated at 36 sheets may as readily be employed in conjunctionwith the printing mechanism above described as a rolled web.

At 37 I have illustrated mechanism of familiar and. well knownconstruction for applying water to the plates or forms of the cylinder2. The mechanism 37 will however, be employed only in lithographing,this provision evidently adapting the device for ready employment forservice in this capacity.

The construction above set forth is durable and economical and of greatefficiency. 13y reason of the inking rollers being ar ranged laterallyof the form cylinder, the plates or forms carried by the latter arerendered readily accessible so that the same may be readily removed orreplaced or cleaned if desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred construction forcarrying my invention into effect this may be varied somewhat withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, desire toavail myself of such variations and modifications as come within theappended claims.

I-Iaving described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a printing press, the combination of arotatable form cylinder; a plurality of rotatably and revolubly mountedinking rollers adapted to successively contact said form cylinder; inkfountains; ductor rollers adapted to transfer ink from said fountains tosaid inking rollers; and means for moving said ductor rollers so thateach will supply only one of said inking rollers, substan tially asdescribed.

2. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers adapted tosuccessively contact said form cylinder each at a particular locationthereof; ink fountains; ductor rollers adapted to transfer ink from saidfountains to said inking rollers; and means for actuating said ductorrollers so that each will supply only one of said inking rollers,substantially as described.

8. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers adapted tosuccessively contact with said form cylinder, the path of revolution ofsaid inking rollers being of the same length as the circumference ofsaid form cylinder; ink fountains; ductor rollers adapted to transferink from said fountains to said inking rollers; and means for actu atingsaid ductor rollers so that each will deliver ink to only one set ofsaid inking rollers, substantially as described.

a. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers arrangedlaterally of and parallel wit-h said form cylinder and adapted tosuccessively contact therewith, the path of revolution of said inkingrollers being of the same length as the circumference of said formcylinder; ink fountains; ductor rollers adapted to transfer ink fro-insaid fountains to said inking rollers; and cams and levers for actuatingsaid ductor rollers so that each will deliver ink to only one set ofsaid inking rollers upon each revolution of the latter, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers arranged incylindrical conformation laterally of and parallel with said formcylinder, said inking rollers being adapted to successively contact withsaid form cylinder when the latter is rotated and said inking rollersare revolved, the path of revolution of said inking rollers being of thesame length as the circumference of said form cylinder; ink fountains;ductor rollers adapted to transfer ink from said fountains to saidinking rollers; and means for actuating said ductor rollers so that eachwill deliver ink to only one set of said inking rollers upon eachrevolution of the latter, substantially as de scribed.

6. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers arranged incylindrical conformation laterally of and parallel with said formcylinder, said inking rollers being adapted to successively contact withsaid form cylinder when the latter is rotated and said inking rollersare revolved, the cylinder formed by said inking rollers and said formcylinder being of equal diameter and circumference; ink fountainsarranged within the cylinder formed by said inking rollers; ductorrollers adapted to transfer ink fro-1n said fountains to said inkingrollers; and means for actuating said ductor rollers so that each willdeliver ink to only one-set of said inking rollers upon each revolutionof the latter, substantially as described.

7. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers arranged incylindrical conformation, the cylinder formed by said inking rollersbeing arranged tangent with said form cylinder, said cylinder formed bysaid inking rollers and said form cylinder being of the same diameterand circumference; an operative connection between said last-mentionedcylinders whereby the same will rotate at the same peripheral speed; inkfountains arranged within the cylinder formed by said inking rollers;ductor rollers adapted to transfer ink from said fountains to saidinking rollers and means for actuating said ductor rollers so that eachwill deliver ink to only one set of said inking rollers upon eachrevolution of the latter, substantially as described.

8. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers arranged incylindrical conformation, the cylinder formed by said inking rollersbeing arranged laterally of and tangent with said form cylinder, saidcylinder formed by said inking rollers and said form cylinder being ofthe same diameter and circumference; an operative connection betweensaid last-mentioned cylinders whereby the same rotate at the sameperipheral speed; ink fountains arranged within the cylinder formed bysaid inking rollers; ductor rollers adapted to transfer ink from saidfountains to said inking rollers; and cams and levers for actuating saidductor rollers so that each will deliver ink to only one set of saidinking rollers upon each revolution of the latter, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a printing press, the combination of a rotatable form cylinder; aplurality of rotatably and revolubly mounted inking rollers adapted tosuccessively contact With said form cylinder, the path of revolution ofsaid inking rollers being of the same length as the circumference ofsaid form cylinder; ink fountains; ductor rollers adapted to transferink from said fountains to said inking rollers; means for actuating saidductor rollers so that each will deliver ink to only one set of saidinking rollers; and mechanism for applying Water to said form cylinderprior to the application of ink thereto by said inking rollers,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH L. FIRM.

Witnesses ARTHUR A. OLSON, J osrnm R. H. Po'r'rs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G.

